First cross ewes top at $390 at Narrandera sale

Nutrien Ag Solutions' Jaiden Bourke, Narrandera, said the sale posted a strong result with the vendors facing the challenges of a difficult winter and presenting their sheep in top condition.

He said the sale had penned about 8000 ewes aged between 14 and 17 months, with the majority offered by Gnadbro Pastoral Company, Collingullie.

Mr Bourke said while prices had eased from last year's sale, the strength of the market for prime lambs had encouraged buyer confidence at the Narrandera sale.

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Gnadbro sold two pens at the top price of $390. The first pen was 200 not station mated (nsm) ewes that ranged in weight between 62 kilograms to 80kg and averaged 71.2kg, and was aged between 15 and 17 months old. The adjacent pen of 150 nsm ewes of the same age and weight description also sold for $390. Overall, Gnadbro offered 4600 ewes that averaged $308.

Gnadbro PC has been using Cadell bloodline Border Leicester sires for 15 years, and all the Merino ewes used in their breeding program have been bought from well-known Riverina Merino flocks.

The buyer of the top-priced pen was David Hill, Corowa, buying on behalf of a client.

North South Grazing Partnership, Strontian, Narrandera, another of the volume vendors, won the best pen of the day, judged by Steve Tolmie, Cootamundra. North South Grazing offered 1020 ewes, which averaged $245.

Frying Pan Pastoral Company, Narrandera offered 450 ewes that topped at $340 for a $313 average, while Greg and Anne Graham, Methul offered 255 ewes that topped at $330

Jarrod Slattery, Nutrien, Wagga Wagga reported many enquiries from repeat buyers.

"The ewes have a solid reputation, and the strong clientele is keen to source their first-cross ewes from Gnadbro."

Mr Slattery said Green Triangle Livestock and Property, Mt Gambier, south-east South Australia, was a volume buyer buying 1200 ewes for a client at Casterton in western Victoria.

Repeat buyers included the Lucas family, Beechworth, and the Twigg family, Ballarat, both from Victoria, N Geddes Deniliquin. Other buyers were from Albury, Wantabadgery, Ganmain and Cootamundra.

The selling agents were Nutrien Ag Solutions and Elders.